Microsoft wants to set new photo compression standard

In a bid to replace JPEG as the standard for digital photos, Microsoft plans to submit their HD Photo image Compression format to the International Organization for Standardization. According to Microsoft, HD Photo, formerly known as Windows Media Photo, causes less damage to photos than JPEG, while creating a files that are half the size. Like JPEG, HD Photo also supports Lossless Compression.

In order for HD Photo to become the de facto standard for digital photography Microsoft will have to get support from printer, camera, and application vendors. It's already supported in Windows Vistaand can be similarly supported in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 through a free download. Adobe Photoshop plugins are expected in the next two months. Microsoft also has an HD Photo Device Porting Kit to help hardware manufacturers.

Originally posted by ZIppyDSM:AS long as MS dose not go rolyity happy I am all for it.

Ever since I have read the things I have about Vista and it's DRM stuff, I wouldn't doubt if this somehow has a catch, you know just there way of controlling everything.

if MS made vista only play DRMd MP3s and Video then I would agree,VC-1 is not DRM'd its just a codec so MS can be invative when they want,unless jpeg version 3 is the same or better then MS trying to create a better pic format is not bad....yet...

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 09 Mar 2007 @ 8:16

As a digital photographer, one of the first things that Sony did was hack me off by making Sony Sticks for memory. This was a direct attempt to control a whole new industry. Most of the industry uses Compact Flash, now, they are trying to get smaller and the industry is going to Secure Digital. As far as jpeg, I find it to be more than adequate for pictures used on the internet and for newspaper publications. Granted it is a bit lossey at times, but shooting with high resolution gives me plenty of information. The media of compact flash and secure digital is going down in price also. Also, the amount of content on a single card is steady increasing.
It might be nice to have the new format, but like this other argument about Blue Ray and HD, it is the hardware that will keep it from happening for a long time. Try telling Canon and Nikon that they are going to have to change every camera they have over to include the new format. I don't think it will happen any time soon. As far as making the format available for Adobe Photoshop...fine...it will have to be a plug in. If the format is available, the only way that most photographers will use it, is to shoot in RAW first, then use a program that can open RAW and save the file to the new format. As far as Photoshop, I still use Paint Shop Pro XI. Photoshop learning curve was and still is too steep for the same job I can do in 1/2 the time in PSP XI. While the idea sounds great, it is 5 years behind its time, and will be another tricky trick that M$ is working with the rest of the hoods to try to build in programmed obsolessence in the industry to get the public to buy more merchandise.